Drug users taken out of drug free zones
The Guardian-Journal
A Homer
man was arrested on drug charges after a concerned citizen alerted police to
the possible use of drugs in a drug free zone.
Fernando
L. Mitchell, 38, of Homer, was arrested on Friday, August 24, and charged with
possession of Schedule II CDS (cocaine) with bond set at $5,000, violation CDS
in a drug free zone with bond set at $500 and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According
to reports, Officer Frank Evans was stopped by a concerned citizen who told him
a black male, later identified as Mitchell, was using drugs. Officer Scott
Glenn learned of a person matching Mitchell’s description and found him sitting
on a porch on Hudd Drive.
When approached
by Officer Evans, Mitchell told him his name and when asked if he had any
weapons, Mitchell told the officer he had a knife in his back pocket. Mitchell
was then searched and that search revealed a large pocket knife. The officer
then asked if he had anything else in his pocket, at which time, he pulled a
cigarette package out of his pocket. Evans took hold of the cigarette package
after noticing a black object sticking out of it. At that time, reports say he
saw a plastic bag containing a green leafy substance which appeared to be
marijuana as well as a white rock substance that appeared to be cocaine under
the plastic wrapping of the cigarette package.
Mitchell
was placed under arrest and taken to the Homer Police Station for paperwork. He
was then transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for booking on
the above charges.
In a
separate incident, another Homer man was also arrested for violation of a CDS
in a drug free zone with bond set at $750.
Jarvis
A. Winzer, 22, of Homer, was arrested on the above charge on Monday, August 20,
after a Homer officer observed him rolling what appeared to be a marijuana
cigarette during routine patrol.
According
to reports, Officer Evans was patrolling in the area of the Senior’s Apartments
on Washington Street when he saw Winzer. Winzer noticed the officer, then took
off and ran into an apartment at the complex. Evans verbally commanded Winzer
to give him the alleged marijuana cigarette, at which time, Winzer did not.
When asked again, Winzer was inside the apartment and was reportedly seen
pulling the alleged marijuana cigarette from a trash can.
Evans
called Homer Police Officer Johnnie Hough to the scene to assist. Upon arrival,
Hough placed Winzer under arrest for possession of marijuana. He was transported
to the Homer Police Station for paperwork. He was later transported to the
Claiborne Parish Detention Center for further booking.
Isaac: Are we ready?
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
While
Tropical Storm Isaac traces the eerily similar path of Hurricane Katrina seven
years ago, Claiborne Parish is preparing for the rain that’s coming.
Claiborne
Parish Homeland Security Director Dennis Butcher said the parish is preparing
for local flooding making sure there are sandbags if any heavy rain reaches
this far north.
“We’re
as ready as we can be at this moment,” Butcher said. “We’ll just have to wait
and see. Even though it is a big storm, it’s not a very powerful one.”
While
Katrina was a Category 5 hurricane when it made landfall on August 29, 2005,
Tropical Storm Isaac was only packing winds of 65 miles per hour in the Gulf of
Mexico as of press time.
This
past weekend, Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency and residents in
low-lying coastal areas were placed under a mandatory evacuation. Others were
asked to voluntarily evacuate, he said.
“Tropical
Storm Isaac continues to track westward and a hurricane watch is in effect for
15 Louisiana parishes,” Jindal said in a press release Sunday, August 26.
“State and local officials are taking a number of steps to protect our people
and property from the storm. In addition to issuing a state of emergency for
the storm, we are in touch with parish leaders, and we are recommending
voluntary evacuations within the hurricane watch area. Specifically, this is for
people in low-lying areas, areas outside of levee protection and areas south of
the Intracoastal Waterway.”
As of
right now, Jindal has authorized the National Guard to mobilize up to 4,000
Guardsmen to help support the effort. The National Guard also has 75 generators
positioned if needed, according to Jindal’s press release.
And
while inmates in temporary facilities have been evacuated, many state
correctional facilities and probation and parole district officers were
notified to review pre-storm plans and take necessary action, such as checking
generators, topping fuel tanks, checking food and supply inventories, etc.
As of
press time Tuesday evening, no shelters had been opened in Claiborne Parish,
and according to David Wade Correctional Center Warden Jerry Goodwin, they are
prepared for inmate evacuees but haven’t received any.
“As it
stands now, there’s no plans to move any inmates to David Wade unless the
conditions worsen or the need to evacuate other places arise,” Goodwin said.
Goodwin
also said that while the prison is a designated center for sex offender
evacuees, there are currently no evacuees there now.
“It’s
there and available if needed,” Goodwin said.
DWCC
also sent three transport busses with six officers to assist with inmate
evacuations in Orleans, Terrebonne and St. Bernard parishes.
According
to the National Weather Service, Isaac was expected to hook back towards the
east when it made landfall. The most Claiborne Parish and the surrounding north
Louisiana parishes may see is a few inches of rain.
By
Wednesday afternoon, north winds, 15 to 20 miles per hour, becoming northeast
15 to 30 miles per hour in the afternoon with rain chances increasing to 40
percent, the NWS forecast states. Chances increase to 60 percent after
midnight.
On Thursday,
windy conditions remain with showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly in the
afternoon. Highs are expected to be in the mid-80s with afternoon chances of
rain at 60 percent. Chances decrease to 50 percent Thursday night with lows in
the lower 70s.
By
Friday, the weather should be clearing up some with chances of showers and
thunderstorms in the morning with highs in the 90s by that afternoon.
Homer Memorial Hospital ICU grand
opening set for September 9
The grand opening for the new
state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit for Homer Memorial Hospital will be held
from 1:30 until 3 p.m., Sunday, September 9. For more information, please call
Adrienne Willis, executive director of marketing strategic planning and the
Claiborne Healthcare Foundation at 318-927-1400.
9/11 service set for September 6 at FBC
Homer
The Guardian-Journal
First
Baptist Church in Homer will host its annual 9/11 Remembrance Service to honor
local law enforcement, firefighters, emergency personnel and military.
Beginning
at 6 p.m., Thursday, September 6, a fish fry supper will be served free of
charge. Admission is also free.
While
honoring these men and women who put their lives on the line every day, part of
the program will be about remembering those who lost their lives in the World
Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001, as well as those from the Pentagon
in Washington DC and Flight 93, which crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
This
year’s speaker will be Gibbie McMillan, disaster relief coordinator and men’s
ministry strategist for the Louisiana Southern Baptist Convention. He
coordinates the work of 81 disaster relief units, maintains an organized
support and relief for affected areas in storm aftermaths and provides
leadership training for volunteers.
In
fact, McMillan was in Claiborne Parish working with the Louisiana Baptist
Disaster Relief organization following the storms of June 12, which devastated
so much of Homer and the surrounding area.
McMillan
is also a liaison between churches, state leadership, Red Cross, Salvation
Army, Homeland Security, FEMA and the Louisiana State Emergency Management
organizations. He also promotes Men and Boys Ministry Organization (Baptist
Men), Royal Ambassadors, Challengers and Resort Missions.
Some of
McMillans accomplishments since he’s been with the Louisiana Baptist Convention
Ministry include his exceptional response to the Mighty Men of God Conferences,
serves as an interim pastor when needed and coordinated the massive response to
hurricanes impacting the state.
Prior
to joining the Baptist Convention in 2006, he served in a similar position with
the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention and also served 28 years as a pastor.
He has
degrees from Mississippi College, NOBTS and Luther Rice Seminary.
He and
his wife, Katera, married in 1974, and they have two daughters and one
grandson.
Hunter’s Ed course set for September
The
Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO), along with David Wade Correctional
Center (DWCC), will be sponsoring the Hunter Education Courses for 2012.
The
hunter education course will be conducted at the Homer Fire Station, 411 West
Main Street, in Homer, on September 19, 20 and 22.
The
class schedule is as follows:
September
19: 6 until 9 p.m.; September 20: 6 until 9 p.m.; September 22: 8 a.m. until
noon
Anyone
interested in this hunter education class must pre-register with the CPSO at
318-927-2011 or by contacting Col. Brad Rogers at DWCC at 318-927-0400,
extension 455.
In
1985, hunter education became mandatory in Louisiana. Anyone born on or after
September 1, 1969 is required by law to complete the Louisiana Hunter Education
course before purchasing a hunting license. The minimum age for certification
is 10.
Older
hunters who plan to hunt outside the state should check the state regulation
where they plan to hunt. All 50 states now require some form of mandatory
hunter education certification prior to issuing a license.
Hunter
education programs have always taught young hunters the practice of firearm and
hunting safety. Today, hunter education programs are about more than safety.
They have been expanded to produce knowledge, responsible and involved hunters
-- hunters who understand the importance of complying with hunting laws and
behaving ethically. These programs give beginners a good foundation, and they
provide a refresher for veteran hunters.
Ultimately,
the mission of hunter education programs is to ensure the continuation of the
hunting tradition.
Prayers abound for little Emilee
The Guardian-Journal photos/Jenni
Williams
Above, family, friends and community
members gathered Friday evening in the First United Methodist Church gymnasium
to pray for little Emilee Holloway who will have brain surgery next month in an
effort to combat seizures. She will be hospitalized at Cook’s Children’s
Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, for about six weeks following surgery. Above,
year and a half old Emilee dances to praise music provided by 4 His Glory and
guest TJ Lewis at the community-wide prayer event held in her honor. Two
massive grills churned out a few hundred burgers for Friday’s Emilee Holloway
Prayer Supper Benefit held at First United Methodist Church in Homer.
JENNI WILLIAMS, Staff Reporter
The sky
may have been pouring down on Homer Friday night, but so were the blessings as
family, friends and community members gathered together to lift one little girl
up to the Lord.
Emilee
Holloway, a year and a-half-old little girl from Athens, has suffered from
debilitating seizures for most of her life and will be going to Cook’s
Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas in just a few weeks for brain surgery
in an attempt to stop the seizures that are no longer controlled through
medication.
The
community rallied together this past Friday in an effort to raise funds and
lift up prayers for this little girl and her family.
A
hamburger supper and prayer meeting were held in her honor at First United
Methodist Church of Homer, who donated their facilities for the event.
T-shirts
were also sold at the event, proclaiming, “Praying for Emilee Holloway,” and
will continue to be sold until supplies are exhausted.
Emilee
will have a long road ahead of her, after what doctors estimate to be a minimum
of a six-week hospital stay and then weeks, possibly months of physical, speech
and occupational therapies.
The
community has and will continue to rally around this family and donations will
continue to be accepted.
Friday’s
event took a lot of coordination and a number of Thank You’s need to be
addressed, including - Drew at Chili's in Bossier City, Bill and Ralphs, Frito
Lay, Coca Cola Bottling Company, Piggly Wiggly, Peggy and Marion Stovall,
Ronald Day, Emerson Oil Company, Fred Smith & Sons, Ken and Kim McBride,
Tana and Curtis Nelson, Sunday School Classes from First Baptist, Ann Burton,
Shana Lewis, Dianne Harmon, Patricia Dillon, Beverly Volentine and CloeEllen
Watson. These were the ones that donated food or money to pay for all the food
necessary to fill the hamburger plates.
A
number of community members helped sell tickets and helped assemble the plates
on Friday night. They are - Keith Smith, Tommy Ellis, Tana Nelson, Candy Hicks,
Kim Maddry, Lori Ellis, Laney Ellis, Kelsey Ellis, Michael Hightower, April
Smith, Jason Smith, Randy Cook, Allison Dillon, Ann Burton, Jeremy Smith,
Brittany Smith, Brandon Smith, Jake Smith, Pat Corbin, Don Corbin, Grant
Killgore, Charlene Killgore, Mary Smith, Randy and Donna Smith and Nicole Dye.
A special thanks goes to Melissa Smith for spear-heading the event.
Jack Phillips
and TJ Lewis conducted the prayer service held in the church’s gymnasium after
the dinner.
A
special thanks also goes to First United Methodist Church for allowing the use
of their facility.
Approximately
300 plates were purchased and more than $5,000 was raised with donations still
coming in.
T-shirts
may still be purchased by contacting Allison Dillon at 433-0863 and donations
will still be accepted and greatly appreciated.
Butterfly Festival set for September 15
The
14th annual Haynesville Celebration of Butterflies will be held September 15 at
the Claiborne Parish Fairgrounds in Haynesville.
The
festival features a parade, seminars, a butterfly conservatory stocked with
plants and butterflies in all four stages of metamorphosis, many children’s'
activities, vendors, musical and dance entertainment, and several contests for
which prizes are awarded.
The
butterfly-themed parade, which begins at 9a.m., includes a pet parade with
trophies awarded for the largest, smallest, most unusual, and best-decorated
pets. To enter, contact Linda Knox at (318) 624-1606 or e-mail
.
Programs
for the day will be two presented by Felder Rushing, titles undetermined,
Butterflies From Scratch, The Monarch Butterfly, Live Demonstration with
Caterpillars and Their Host Plants and a skit God Planted Those Dandelions.
Vendors
desiring a space at the festival should contact Pat Bourn, (318) 624-1216, 3647
Hwy 2 Alt, Haynesville, LA 71038, or LeBois Sincox, (318) 624-0661, 2087
Dogwood Drive, Haynesville, or Sissy Balda, (318) 624-2483, 500 Main Street,
Haynesville.
To
enter the nature photography contest and exhibit, contact Mary Anna Perryman,
(318) 377-1006, 299 Perryman Drive, Dubberly, LA 71024, e-mail
.
The
container gardening contest offers monetary prizes. An entry must be from your
own garden and can feature any type of flowering or foliage plants growing in a
container. To enter, contact Beverlee Killgore, day (318) 624-1122, evening
(318) 624-2432, 2222 Main Street, Haynesville, LA 71038, e-mail
.
There
will be a horseshoe pitching contest with $100 awarded to the winning team.
For information concerning this and other festival activities or a brochure
contact Loice Kendrick-Lacy, (870) 234-4910 or (318) 624-1929, 203 Troy,
Magnolia, AR 71753, , www.claiborneone.org.
Butterfly Queen to promote new book
‘Gardening to Attract Butterflies,
The Beauty and the Beast’
Loice
Kendrick-Lacy is the founder and director of the Haynesville Celebration of
Butterflies, with its 14th annual being held this year at the
Claiborne Parish Fairgrounds in Haynesville, Louisiana. She is a member of the
Louisiana Native Plant Society, Louisiana Ornithological Society, the Cajun
Prairie Habitat Preservation Society, the Haynesville Garden Club, the Arkansas
Audubon Society, and is a master gardener certified in both Louisiana and
Arkansas.
Known
as the Butterfly Queen, Loice, a long-time resident of Haynesville, will be
having an advance previewing for her first book, Gardening to Attract
Butterflies; The Beauty and the Beast. Television interviews will be given and
advance orders will be taken that day, but Loice's first book signing will be
at the annual Butterfly Festival in Haynesville, Louisiana on Sept. 15, 2012.
Having
been a journalism major at what was then Southwest Texas State Teachers
College, Loice has published poetry and many articles on nature. For the past
37 years, she has written a column for the newsletter of the Arkansas Audubon
Society, also serving as that publication's editor for 10 of those years.
An avid
birder as well as butterflier and lover of all things in nature, Loice taught
either botany or ornithology for 14 years at the Arkansas Audubon Ecology Camp.
For over 30 years, she has been giving programs on butterflies, birds,
wildflowers and gardening. Since 2004, she has taught butterfly gardening to
each new class of master gardeners in Southwest Arkansas. Prior to moving to
Arkansas, she taught the same subject to master gardeners in Northwest
Louisiana.
In
reference to the Haynesville Celebration of Butterflies, botanist and
butterflier Dr. Charles Allen says, "This event has seen a lot of visitors
over the years but none as important as the butterflies themselves. I am a
fortunate person who has been able to attend the festival each year since its
inception in 1999. As the director, Loice puts much work into the festival,
making sure that every little detail is in place on that Saturday in September
each year when butterflies are given their due celebration in Northwest
Louisiana. This is the reason the festival has continued with such success for
13 years. Her book on gardening to attract butterflies is an appropriate crown
for Loice, the Butterfly Queen."
Loice
was born in Runnels County in the country near the small town of Talpa, Texas,
in a setting idyllic for her to become Nature's Child. Since there were no
school buses in the area when the time came, her three older siblings were
homeschooled using textbooks supplied by the public school. Later when she was
nearing school age, Loice says her mother tried with little success to interest
her in books. Concerning her reluctance to open a book, Loice explains,
"My interest at that time was in exploring the attractions of nature, thus
I wanted to spend every daylight hour outside."
By the
time Loice had reached school-age, the family had moved closer to a school
where she was placed in the first grade, but the following year she was
advanced to the third, skipping the second. She says, "I give the credit
for any success I had in school to my mother for being such a gifted teacher
even though she was often stymied in her efforts to interest me in scholarly
pursuits in those early years."
In the
first few years after Loice and her older siblings entered public school, the
four rode Shetland ponies to school. As they had only three ponies, Loice rode
behind her brother on what was the smallest of the ponies. She says her parents
wouldn't entrust her to any but their only son nor did they think any but he
could handle Bay Molly, a cantankerous and stubborn little animal.
Loice
recalls some of her remembrances from her early childhood: a turtle laying its
many eggs in a sandy spot in the yard; searching for the nests of wrens under
the syrup buckets capped over fence posts; climbing the mulberry tree by the
chicken house to feast on its juicy black fruit, unmindful of the resulting
stains on her clothing; watching horned toads dining on their favorite insects
in the red ant beds and wondering if they ever got stung as she often did;
riding her stick horse (the dried stalk of a yucca plant) to search out new
adventures; using a broom straw to bring forth a doodle bug from its inverted
conical pit in the sand, all the time reciting "doodle bug, doodle bug
your house is on fire;" looking for the sky-blue eggs of bluebirds in
cavities of rotting fence posts; making necklaces from smilax leaves joined
together with thorns from mesquites; picking the delicious agarita berries to
enjoy with cream (real cream straight from the family dairy cows) and sugar;
frolicking barefoot on the front lawn in a gentle rain.
Recalling
the above pleasures of her childhood, Loice admits that truly not much has
changed; she can still enjoy all those simple things of nature. Perhaps with
one exception: the stick horse might better be used as a walking staff rather
than a trusty steed.
Dollar General celebrates literacy
September 1
Native American event planned at store
in Homer
The Guardian-Journal
Dollar
General will host a literacy event which showcases the Native American culture
and spirit.
On
Saturday, September 1, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., the company will host the
“Native Americans on the War Path for Literacy” event in the parking lot of the
Dollar General Store in Homer.
Martha
Carey, manager at the Dollar General, is a Native American, of the Masscalaro
Apache tribe. She and a few others will be there in full Native American
regalia. They will talk to the children about Indian tacos and how they came
about as well as the Native American culture.
They
will also dance and have some music.
These
tacos and sopapillas will be for sale as well as other concession favorites --
cheese fries and Frito pies! Cold drinks will also be available.
The
Dollar General Literacy Foundation promotes ways to keep children in school.
According to its mission, Dollar General's commitment to literacy is an
integral part of the company's culture. In fact, Dollar General's co-founder,
J. L. Turner, was functionally illiterate when he started the company. Dollar
General believes learning to read, receiving your GED or learning the English
language is an investment that opens doorways for personal, professional and
economic growth. That is why our commitment to literacy remains strong. It is
the one gift that no one can take away—the one gift that lasts a lifetime.
A
brochure for the foundation lists several ways parents can keep their children
in school, beginning with their infants all the way through high school. For
example, for infants and toddlers, it says to be a good role model, because
children learn by watching you. Hold and hug your child often, and a healthy
baby has a head start on learning.
“Eat
well and make sure your child visits the doctor regularly and has all the right
shots and vaccinations,” the brochure states.
Other
tips include ones for preschoolers, elementary age children, junior high and
high school children. One important tip the brochure offers is to make sure
that homework gets done and get to know your child’s teachers. Talk to them
regularly about your child, and always take time to listen to your children.
For
more information, please call the Dollar General Store at 318-927-3008.
McMullan Realty, Springhill - Announces Opening of Their New Website
Denny McMullan of McMullan Realty Company in Springhill, LA, announces the opening of their 
re-designed website as of 2012-08-06, with all current listings now available at: www.McMullanRealty.com.
Whether you're looking to buy or sell a home, commercial or investment property, McMullan Realty Company can help. They take pride in taking the time to get to know each and every client individually - listening to their specific needs and wishes. They are ready to negotiate the best deals, determine your optimal selling price and provide you with all the necessary facts you need to make a confident, informed decision.
From the first walk-through to the signing of papers, McMullan Realty will be with you every step of the way. Their experienced agents are ready to help you achieve your real estate goals.
McMullan Realty Company was established in 1961 by Dennis and Evelyn McMullan. Continuously family owned and operated, McMullan Realty Company has specialized in REAL ESTATE SALES AND MARKETING in the North Webster Parish, Louisiana and Southwest Arkansas areas for more than 50-years.
Denny McMullan, broker at McMullan Realty, stated "We were looking for a web designer to re-build our existing site and someone that we could depend upon to maintain our site in a timely manner. After reviewing several area realtor sites, we came across Claiborne Parish web designer, Key-Comp Web Design, we visited the Key-Comp sites for Claiborne Parish realtors and were very impressed (JT Taylor Realty, Northest Properties & Toney Johnson Real Estate). We contacted Joel Ponder of Key-Comp Web Design, he subsequently submitted a very reasonable proposal for the design and maintenance of our site. We accepted the proposal and have been very pleased with the results. If any of you know anyone who wants a new website or has a site that is in need of a re-do, we strongly recommend Key-Comp. You can contact Joel via his new website at: www.KCWD.com."
